For those who don't know when Cami and Verity passed I buried them in the same area (they were always inseperable in life, so it seemed right they be together now too) and decided to make the area a memory garden we call the Rainbow Bridge Garden. Where Verity rests I put an angel statue and it's surrounded with forget-me-nots, little salvias, roses, daffodils, a federation daisy, iris and some other favorites. I go there whenever I'm thinking about them and it's a sunny, warm spot to remember things.

While I was out there today a big dragonfly appeared. Now I know dragonflies aren't uncommon but in almost 5 years of living here I've never seen one on our property so it was pretty surprising and I stood still to watch it for awhile.

Instead of flitting off and around though as I'd expected, it circled around me for ages about a meter and a half out, just in circles. It was so weird I just stood still watching it and feeling a bit amazed, we had dragonflies all over in the US and I've never had one circle me let alone for such a long time! Then it flew over Verity's angel and just hovered there for a good two minutes (timed on my mobile) before flying back over me and repeating the circles for not quite five minutes. It flew back to her angel for just a second before La came up to see what I was doing and when I looked back from him it'd gone.

Amazing hey?

random catch up photos

because I've been such a slacker and haven't really been sure what to write

One of the new roses in the Rainbow Bridge garden

Tim Tam, "Where are you going mum?"

Hopie and Luka at the dam

Lily at Ballarat comp

Luka on his birthday! :)

Lilypillie, my smiley girl

The interesting attempts to draw with small children around! LOL

Hopie with the ribbons our club gave her at the end of the year. She was more impressed with the biscuits but I thought they were nice. LOL

La demonstrating his weird abilities to sleep in the most bizzare places...

Hope at a recent comp

Hope, Sierra, Luka and Rin at the dam

Nilla playing sneaky stealth ninja bunny

and demanding a pat from La

Haha, - such shy timid little wallflowers hey!

Playing catch up and sharing bits and pieces of things I'd meant to blog but slackarsed on.

New favorite feeding-sleeping baby photo.... she is such a sweetie, when I rolled back over she wrapped her arms around me, snuggled against my shoulder, gave me a perfect little kiss and said "wuf 'oo". Ladies and gentlemen, this is what refills the well of mummy's tollerance of the times they're crazy little ratbags... sometimes, every once in awhile, they make you melt into puddles of warm-n-fuzzy goo.

These are three shots from Verity and Cami's Rainbow Bridge Garden. Slowly coming together.


And last but not least, after not having touched oils or acrylics since I was probably about 14 I decided to get a little set have have a dabble in it. I sketched this little fellow the other night and got to rough him in over about 15 mins of breakfast. Hopefully over the coming week or so I can find a bit of spare kids-free time to work on him! Not sure if I will keep the background one as artificial halo and take it all over or as grass and fill in the 'sky' after.

Surprises, lovely and otherwise

For those who remember a few months back when I mentioned I'd been given a bunch of rose cuttings which I was attempting to grow new roses from for the first time ever, check this out! I not only kept many of them alive to this point but one of them decided to give us a Boxing Day gift... the first flower!

I'm prejudiced but I think it's just lovely!

This is one of my older roses, planted by the previous owners and rather neglected it's now giving lovely big flowers the size of your hand.

Our not so pleasant surprise is that while we were near the house today chatting about letting the bigger ducklings out, Nic spotted a nice big copperhead between us. Going by the fence it was sitting near it'd measure a bit over 80cm or so. I was raised to believe we live with our wildlife and give it a healthy respect but all the same I'm not at all thrilled to see it right where Laurent and the dogs run around. The dogs had been running around that spot only about 20 mins previous and La was on his swingset at the time.

A nice day out yesterday at an Australian Shepherd seminar put on by the ASCV hosting for Sheila Polk with the extra bonus of having Nic being at home and minding La! Mind you I wasn't totally alone as Squidge V. 2 was alternating between a storm of little kicks and hiccups the entire time... LOL This show, combined with the agility/obedience/herding/MVA comp and then the seminar this weekend has been such an absolutely lovely thing for the club (and a few hardworking individuals in particular who saw to all the behind-the-scenes stuff you don't always get much recognition for) and very impressive that it's come off so well. I hope we'll be able to have something like this, if not annually, then every few years! What a fantastic resource to be able to see and put your hands on so many of the dogs you don't always get to see outside of photos and to hear from someone who has long and varied history and get their perspective on our breed!

When I came back in the afternoon from the seminar, I snapped these pictures of the little artist hard at work.

The artist ponders... A bit more here? A loopy squiggle missing there?

Inspiration hits."Ohhh!"

Success! (And a manic grin!)

Baby related I've also arranged to book into the back-up hospital (Warrigul) though have yet to speak to the OB there. Hopefully shouldn't be too much worry, given how cruisey the whole mood of this pregnancy has been so far. I was e-mailing my MW this morning and it got me to reflecting how utterly different this pregnancy has been to La's. Nothing is a drama, everything will get taken care of, everything is lovely-happy-good atm. It's amazing what not feeling like something the cat dragged in and not having to contend with a doctor who got his degree from Acme will do for one! Most days, despite the obvious reminder (I have certainly popped and plenty of little taps and kicks and hiccups) and having seen bubs on the ultrasound I just don't really FEEL pregnant odd as that sounds!

Meanwhile the weather is slowly turning to summer and the rhododendrons are putting on a show. I've had to slow on the major progress in the garden for a little while but the existing plants are making up for it now that they're happy enough to bloom and covered in a carpet of flowers! The pics are from a few days ago but La and I ended up spending the day puttering and planting today after I realized we were a few weeks overdue for someones vax and couldn't go to the obedience sign up like I'd thought. Doh! (Meantime the ratbag ate ANOTHER freaking collar!)




Meanwhile I've sold several chooks, which leaves me at my breeding groups and broodies waiting for eggs to hatch. Candling looks promising for most. Little Lucky the lone duckling has been joined by three little Aylesbury duckling buddies

Before long they'll be joined by Wyandotte chicks, Old English Game bantams, another Aylesbury all of which candled as looking nice last night. Possibly goslings! Baby birdies are lovely little creatures, they help curb the cluck-factor over puppies atm (and I do realize a baby puppy anytime soon is probably rather insane alas... *sigh* very sad as Cami will probably be flying out before long...) as La and I love our soft, warm, cheeping little "chicky babies".

The sheep are officially Yarn On The Hoof! LOL

Despite having lower rain than we should things are quite lush at the moment and increasingly (and welcomely!) warm golden days for the chooks to putter around searching for tasty bug between naps

For La this means he's able to run his ever-abundant energy off. Unfortunately he instantly recharges - when I nicknamed him Bunny I should have specified NOT the Energizer bunny! He's hunting for clover flowers and other such treasures here.

This also leads me into other treasures we've found lately. I'm generally not a fan of Stuff and my rule for buying things (well, aside from things like toilet brushes) is that it has to be something that will make me smile every time I look at or use but I do enjoy finding them when they appear in my life! Hence my too cool chook doorholder - solid metal, heavy and get this - she's an op shop score - $3!

Laurent also spent some of his birthday money on this really funkliscious dinosaur which he cannot be parted from for love or money. In the grand traditions of 3 year old logic I'm informed it's name is "Brontosaurus Rex", aka Rexie. Well... I suppose it fits with the toy croc named Gator right? LOL

And because this is turning out rather La-centric... it occured to me that some of the La-isms I posted on the joys of "chatterbox children" on AB the other day might also be appropriate to blog. I'm sure they'll be amusing when he's, oh, around twenty...

• The other night La was sound asleep... had been for four hours. Well and truly ZONKED, limp and snoring. I crawl in bed, he rolls over, snuggles into me and says, "Mum? Where's race car gone?" Even asleep he doesn't stop.......

• I've lost track of the random strangers who've been stuck in waiting rooms, trains, at a picnic or near us whom he's decided are new playmates who after being subjected to his enthusiastic and LOUD non-stop verbal barrage have asked in tones of fascinated horror, "does he ever stop?" or "how much red cordial and candy have you given him?!?" because he won't stop moving or chattering at hyperspeed. (Answer btw is he's had NONE... the idea of La on a sugar/cordial induced high sends chills up my spine...)
• I told him to shush at the dogs training class as he was making all sorts of weird screechy noises and cracking himself up doing so in this big echoy building. "BUT MUM! I LIIIKKKKEEEE TO MAKE NOISE!!!" Hn. Y' don't say... I never would have guessed!

• "Mum, what are you DOING?"
  "I'm making a cup of tea."
  "WHY?"
  "Because I'm thirsty."
  "Why???"
  "Because our bodies need drinks to stay healthy."
  "But WHY?"
  "Because that's how bodies work."
  "Mum, what are you DOING???"
  "I'm drinking the tea La - what does it look like?" (Ever so slightly exasperated!)
  "But WHY??????????"
  "Because I didn't make it to stare at."
  "Why?"
  "Because that wouldn't make any sense."
  "WHY???????"
  ....fastforward through fifty thousand whys to this afternoon...
  "Mum? Are you getting my chicken noodles soup?" (noodles is not a typo - that's how he says it)
  "Yes La."
  "Why?"
  

  He's the Elephants Child poem incarnate I swear...

Space Invaders From Mars

This afternoon we were out doing some pruning and looking at the pretty flowers as the rhododendrons are in full display and quite lovely to behold whole trees carpeted in a riot of pink flowers.
Suddenly all four dogs began raising the alarm usually reserved for when someone unwelcome has snuck onto our property and I went out fully expecting to see the neighbors terrier had come through the bulls paddock. They know that dog is distinctly unwelcome - he has a history of harrassing poultry and sheep. I hollered for everyone to hush and instead of the usual response (silence) they only paused long enough to look at me like I was totally daft. Bark, bark, bark... "MUM CAN'T YOU SEE!?! THIS IS NO ORDINARY STRANGER - IT'S A DANGEROUS SPACE INVADER FROM MARS!!!!!"

So I go over to explore what the source of all this ruckus is and see nothing. No neighbors terrier. No one fence hopping. No, wait... a tiny bit of movement. A very tiny bit.

Meet our dangerous freaky space invader... Obviously a terrible threat to safety and wellbeing... not!

The garden is slowly starting to get under way as I reemerge with the warmer weather. I know winter is prep time but I detest the cold! At any rate I'd got a whole bunch of heritage varity seeds from Eden seeds to go with seeds from varities we'd saved from last year that had done very well for us. I put a few I'd started earlier in the bed when a few days back we got gusting winds up to 100kph and two nice bouts of hail - which ruined them and upset several trays of small seedlings on the back deck. Luckily we escaped the more major damage others around us recieved except that the day before the winds ripped the door off the chooks shed and for a THIRD TIME lift the large shed door (3m wide steel frame/colourbond door!) clear off it's hinges.

I figured since Lucy mentioned she tried to strike some cuttings once outside her mums hospital, I'd mention what learned/did with mine. (I'm sure you'll agree though Lucy, far better that your mum got well and you didn't need the cuttings.) Take cuttings in the morning during the cooler months, keep out of the sun and prepare as quick as possible. Use the twigs no thicker than a writing pencil but not the soft green tip bits either and look for a bit about 5-6" long with a node at the top and a node at the bottom, the top one preferably having a few leaves. On the 'bottom' snip 3/4 cm below the node and on the top node 3/4cm above it at 45degree angles. Remove any leaf growth except for 2-3 at the top and if big, cut them in half to reduce water loss. I used a styrofoam box also about 5-6" high with holes in the bottom and a premixed striking mix or mix your own but you can use any container that allows free drainage really. Once snipped, paint a thin layer of purple rooting hormone gel all over the twigs bottom upwards to about 2" making sure to get the 'wound' and eye. With the end of the paintbrush poke a hole for the cutting and put it in about 2" deep, firming the soil to get rid of airpockets... there seems to be a lot of variation in how deep people think you should stick it - some say no more than 1", some say half the cutting length! I went with 2" on the basis it was deep enough for the top to remain stable if knocked and gave it a good area to develop roots from instead of just the very bottom. When they're all in, pop the whole lot into one of the little 'greenhouse' from Bunnings, cost is $20.00? Mist everything well and put it in an area with indirect but bright light. Keep humidity high and the soil moist but not soggy until they put out growth, at which point they're ready to be potted in smallish pots. From this point I'm supposed to gradually get them used to more full sun and then plant in the garden and keep them watered and well tended for the first year which is when they're most vunerable to stresses.

On a cheerier note the girls are their usual silly selves, I got to cuddle with an adorable litter of 5 week old Aussies last Sunday and Laurent and I went to the opening day of the Melbourne Royal shows the other day to attend the poultry and dog shows. Smaller entries both for numbers in birds and Aussies but a good day out catching up with everyone despite La being grumpy as I had to wake him up at the crack of dawn for the 2 hour train ride. (Turns out Aussies weren't on until much later though... doh!) He had fun on a few rides, visiting the animal nursery which chiefly involved him latching onto the chook pen and even capturing them for other children who were a bit more timid... because you know it's not like he can see chickens any day of the week at home! At the entry he'd spotted the discovery trail fellow with a chook stamp and asked for one. The guy stamps his paper and gives it to La, "Here you go, a chicken!" La looks at it, looks at him and the little smartie pants goes, "No, 's a ROOSTER!" LOL

Rather sad to get back to hear two bits of distressing news though - first that an exhibitor in Australian Shepherds who also has Golden Retrievers had come down to Vic for the show, was staying with another local breeder who lives just down the road from me and someone stole her 6 year old girl, a grand/new zealand/australian champion and obviously much loved. Federal police are investigating but I can't imagine either the mindset of someone who'd do such a despicable thing or how horrifying it'd be to find your furbaby missing and hope to gods she is able to be returned safe and secure. On the tail of that, a poultry breeder who has brought so much to everyone he's met has decided to sell everything because he is sick of being harrassed for 5 years by a council on a power trip inventing excuses to come 'inspect' him constantly. BB has been at every sale and show I've been to pretty much and always is interested in helping newcomers, very involved in various clubs and a major supporter and promoter of waterfowl, guineas and turkeys. Anyone visiting the Royal Melbourne can see many of his birds, most of whom placed quite well, this week. Anyone who has seen him with them can see his whole life is about them. I honestly can't imagine it without him to chat with. :-(

In mid-July I was gifted with a lovely bunch of cuttings and plantlings from a very generous BYP member. I was very nervous being as this was the first time I'd ever tried to strike cuttings of roses. Add a touch of worry as my books all talk about maintaining temperatures and under-tray soil warmer to ensure good root growth etc. Meanwhile we still get cold nights, occasional frosts and have no under-tray warmer! (Nor the spare hundred dollars for one.)

In the end I used styrofoam containers from the local restraunt as they've got good insulation qualities and drain well, mixed striking mix, cut all the branches into appropriate sized bits, dipped them, tucked them in, watered them regularly and held my breath.

I have to say, 5-6" lengths of rose twig do not look very promising at first, I was so nervous I'd done it wrong somehow! Lo and behold, a few weeks more and the whole bunch were leafy little things!

So after a few weeks more growth today was the big day for potting up as they needed more space for their roots to keep developing. So I took them out carefully and ohhh... ROOTS! Not bad for a first effort from a rank novice! Now let's hope they all survive this phase, until they're ready to pot up in big pots and then into the garden! ;-p

Some pics from the day

The whole gaggle of geese and two of the Aylesbury on the dam.

Earliest daffodils sprouting... little paperwhites.

THE WORLDS MOST TOLLERANT CHOOK HOPS UP FOR A CUDDLE
"Mum, I love Sidney. He's a good chook. He has eyes and a mouth and eats corn. He likes tickles. But mum, he likes bugs eatting! I don't eat bugs, tastes yucky. (I do NOT want to know how he knows bugs taste yucky... I just don't!) I eat soup, broccoli and bananas."

The ever adorable fluffy puppykins playing queen of the mountain.
(Of rocks brought in to build the retaining wall.)

Shark-baby has finally stopped teething on us (ow ow ow... baby needle teeth!) and with a mouth that isn't sore she's now discovering the joys of the tennis ball. Funny little pupplet thinks it's just too much fun and after chasing it and prancing around to show off her trophy, drops it to bat it around it like a kitten.

Not quite the day I planned...

The fence is in, except for the one end bit where the gate will be so, I'd intended to go to the Mountain District Poultry Show today but after feeling under the weather yesterday we ended up giving it a miss.

Instead we spent the day scouting around a plant centers with both child and puplet in tow. Miss Fuzzy Puppy manages to play Aussie Ambasadorwherever she goes and is well mannered in the garden shops and nurseries so is always welcome. The attention usually doubles when La insists on walking her - two little cute, wiggly toddlers off on an mission. LOL

We managed to locate a timber gate-house for the fence that we rather liked - very different style than my original plan which was much more formal but this should be quite suitable for training climbing roses up still. Since I was given cuttings for Squatters Dream, Crepuscule, Perle d’Or, Agnes, Rosa brunonii, a Rambling Rector seedling grown by the lady who kindly gave me the cuttings, Veilchenblau and Buff Beauty roses places to train climbers will be good!

Another place we found some lovely rocks for our retaining wall, which should arrive sometime in the next day or two.

Looked at several statuary places hoping to find a little greyhound sculpture to put in the reflection garden where we buried Cade and couldn't find one but did find something that really was very appropriate - a bronze statue about knee-height of a little cherub kneeling and touching a what looked like a camellia blossom. A tad pricey though, so will have to save up a bit.

Last visit was to one of my favorite nurseries, where I picked up some nice bare-rooted stock for loganberries and another variety of strawberry, another chorizema cordatum and some interesting variety of seeds by a company called Erica Vale which sells rare and unusual seeds - double white french marigolds (v. 'french vanilla', F1 gen) and bi-coloured lisanthus called 'rainy orange'. As I was exiting something caught my eye... the ceramic house number tiles I'd spotted months back on a house and wanted but been unable to locate in any store! Too much luck for one day! The numbers surrounded by paintings of bottlebrush and wattles.

Tomorrow we'll continue to lay the road base on the front path, screed it even, get a "whacker" to compact it (Aussies have such logical names for things...), lay the brick edging and whack that, put in the rock edging in the front beds and build the retaining wall.

Once that is finished, I'll turn up the veggie patch properly, bring in some of the cow manure and other goodies and get it underway for planting the next crop. I'm hoping to add a number of fruit trees and native bush food sources as well, so very eager to get going!

fence almost done...

After the weather finally decided to cooperate, it's taken 3 days to get the fence full painted. That's not too bad bearing in mind it's about 90+m long all up and requires 2 coats of primer and 3 of paint done with the "helpful" and hyper 2.5 year old. So here's what it looks like atm...

We chose to go with a eucalyptus green for the posts which corresponds to the roof colour, a camel colour for the plinth and top rail corresponding to the house-colour and the wire when it goes up will be a pale cream like the trim on the house. Wire will go up Saturday. You can also see the gorgeous camellia in full bloom.

Close up detail so you can see the posts and colouring better. I'm undecided if I should add detailing to the top of the posts... not sure if it'd make it look too busy once the wire is up so will wait till that's done to decide. The ground in front of the fence is bare atm but will be a thin little nature strip eventually.

And last but not least, my little green house with some of the cuttings I'm trying to strike. The white box is dozens of rose cuttings... hopefully they will take and be lovely!

More garden updates

The ugly, rusty old fence is GONE and the fence-line prepped... new one is going up on Tues/Wed hopefully when supplies etc arrive

Anyone want agapanthus??? I've got absolute HEAPS torn up... free to anyone who wants to drive out and pick them up!

The front path - bricks all gone (it only took me an age to pull them all up too) and the bobcatting has been done so it's nice and level and the new step you see was created by putting a heap of new dirt there and compacting it into a 'step' and higher level.

Someone was a bit puzzled by all the ruckus... not fussed mind you but puzzled as to what it was!